That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's right hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak." But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me." The man asked him, "What is your name?" "Jacob," he answered. Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome." Jacob said, "Please tell me your name." But he replied, "Why do you ask my name?" Then he blessed him there. Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, "It is because I saw God face to face and yet my life was spared."
Genesis 32:22-30
Wrestling with God
A man named Jacob literally wrestled in the dust with a man who was more than a man. Jacob called the place Peniel (face of God) because he had seen God…and had wrestled with him throughout the night. What's going on here?
Let's rewind for a moment. Jacob had left the home of his parents some twenty years earlier. The surrounding circumstances were not good. He had tricked his father into giving him the blessing of the firstborn. His older twin brother was not happy about that and wanted to kill him. Jacob was running for his life. To sum up the next twenty years (read Genesis 28-32 for more detail), God confirms his blessings to Jacob. Jacob travels north and goes to work for his uncle. He marries his two cousins (things were just a little different back then). He has thirteen children. He becomes pretty rich. He decides to go home…to an unresolved issue from his past. Would his brother still be angry with him…angry enough to kill him?
Jacob sent messengers with generous gifts to his brother to announce his return. Tomorrow was the big day. Jacob spent the night alone, but not quite alone. God was there, and appeared as a man who wrestled with Jacob until daybreak. The point of the wrestling match is found in Jacob's words: "I will not let you go unless you bless me." He was holding God to his Word and holding on to him until he reaffirmed the promises he had spoken those many years earlier.
Does God need us to twist his arm that he might reluctantly bless us if we fight with him long enough? Does he play games with us and withhold blessing unless we're willing to play along? No, but he does want us to wrestle with him. He exercises our faith, encouraging us not only to know his promises but to wrestle with him in prayer and hold him to them. "Lord, you promise peace in Jesus; remind me of that that peace when my life is full of conflict each day." "Lord, you give joy through Jesus; let that joy fill my heart when sorrows come my way." "Lord, you grant hope in Jesus; lift my thoughts to him when the future seems bleak." "Lord, you give strength through Jesus; help me to bear up under life's pressures and difficulties when I feel weak." So…dig into his Word to hear the many promises God gives you there. And then…wrestle with him in prayer, holding him to every Word. And God will bless you!
Prayer:
Lord God, you have made many promises to me in your Word. I won't let go of you until you richly bless me by keeping every single one of them. I pray this boldly and confidently in the name of your Son, my Savior from sin, Jesus. Amen.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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